The present invention relates to self service equipment generally found in laundromats and similar facilities. Typically, a customer receives access to the various apparatus such as a washer, dryer and other equipment in these facilities by depositing money into each particular apparatus. Once sufficient money is deposited, the customer receives a specific machine cycle from, for example, the washer, dryer or other equipment. Alternatively, he might purchase a product from a vending machine on the premise.
A typical laundromat comprises washers, dryers and dispensing machines. When the customer enters a sufficient amount of money to turn the apparatus on, it starts a machine cycle. In the case of a dryer a machine cycle is a specific drying time, for a washing machine it is a washing cycle, for a dispensing machine it is the dispensing of a product. The amount of money required to activate a machine cycle of the apparatus is preset at the money accumulator.
At some laundromats, the apparatuses are activated by tokens rather than money. In these instances the customer can purchase tokens from a dispensing machine or a facility operator. These tokens have a specific redemption value in the various apparatus in the facility. By depositing these tokens in a token acceptor at a particular apparatus, the customer receives a product or service. These tokens can activate the apparatus by mechanical or electronic means
In addition to the accumulators and timers associated with each apparatus, there are typically mechanical or electronic counters on each apparatus in the facility to audit the total money and/or tokens deposited or the total number of cycles activated on each apparatus. The mechanical or electronic counters are typically overlaid onto the existing equipment. Since these counters are not required to operate the system, they can be disconnected, thereby defeating their intended purpose.
These presently available activation and monitoring systems have several drawbacks. First, the amount of money or number of tokens required to activate each apparatus must be manually preset at each accumulator individually. Second, in the case of a time cycle apparatus, the amount of time given for each activation must be manually preset at each timer individually. These timers do not allow price differentiation for the various services provided at a specific apparatus. Third, the audit counts used to verify that the operators are accurately collecting all of the money must be manually tabulated. These audit counts can also be defeated without disabling the laundromat service. Fourth, the owner/operator must manually tabulate statistical information on the use of various apparatus at the facility. Fifth, the operator must visit the facility to determine if operator service is required to repair broken equipment, refill chemicals, and remove or refill money and or tokens. Sixth, the money and or tokens are housed in each machine and they must be protected from theft or vandalism at each apparatus with a money vault or other protection device. The presence of the money at each site significantly increase the degree of vandalism and damage to these devices. Seventh, the facilities operator must collect the money and or tokens from each machine individual.